Two women^[a]

9 The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ has built her house with seven pillars to make it strong.

² She has killed an animal for a big meal. She has mixed her wine. She has also prepared her table. ³ She has sent her servants to shout a message from the highest places in the town.

⁴ She says to foolish people, ‘Come here to me.’

She says to people who do not understand what is right, ⁵ ‘Come here and eat my food. Drink the wine that I have mixed. ⁶ Leave foolish ways so that you may live. Learn to understand what is right, so that you can do it.’

⁷ If you warn a person who is proud, he will insult you. If you tell a wicked person that he is wrong, he will hurt you. ⁸ So do not warn proud people. They will only hate you.

But if you warn a wise person, he will love you. ⁹ If you teach a wise person, he will become even more wise. If you teach a righteous person, he will learn whatever you tell him.

¹⁰ If you want to be wise in the way that you live, first you must respect the Lord with fear. If you know God, the Holy One, you will understand what is right.

¹¹ Wisdom will add more days and years to your life.

¹² If you are wise, it will help you in many ways. But if you think that you do not need wisdom, you will bring trouble on yourself.

¹³ The woman who is called ‘Fool’ speaks in a loud voice. She is silly and she does not know anything. ¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house. She also has a seat at the highest part of the city. ¹⁵ She shouts her message to people as they pass along the road to do their work.

¹⁶ She says to people who do not understand what is right, ‘Anyone who is foolish should come in here. ¹⁷ If you drink water that belongs to someone else, it tastes very sweet! If you eat food secretly, it tastes better than anything! So come and enjoy my meal!’

¹⁸ But those foolish people do not realize that her home is a place for dead people. Her visitors are already in their graves.